Wireless headsets have become increasingly popular in recent years. A wireless headset allows a user to keep both hands free and move about while remaining in communication with a telephone. For headsets which incorporate BLUETOOTH™ or similar technology, such as GN Netcom's GN 9000 series of wireless headsets, the wireless headset may communicate with a variety of external devices, such as telephones, computers, personal digital assistants, etc.
A wireless headset includes a battery, a microphone, a speaker and an inner transceiver. A wireless headset also requires a second, external transceiver, which has its own battery. This external transceiver, commonly known as a “dongle,” replaces the wire which would otherwise connect the headset with an external device, (e.g., with a cellular telephone). The dongle receives headset signals from the wireless headset, typically in the form of RF signals, transforms the headset signals into a format used by the external device (if necessary) and transmits the transformed headset signals to the external device. Similarly, the dongle receives device signals from the external device, transforms the device signals into a format used by the headset (if necessary) and transmits the transformed device signals to the headset.
As shown in FIG. 1, prior art dongle 105 is connected by dongle cord 110 to external device 115, which is a cellular telephone in this example. External device 115 includes a battery (not shown) which must be frequently recharged by battery charger 118 via charger cord 119. Dongle 105 also includes a battery (not shown) which must be frequently recharged by battery charger 120 via charger cord 122. Wireless headset 125 also includes a battery (not shown) which must be frequently recharged by battery charger 130 via charger cord 132. Transporting the dongle, the dongle cord, the wireless headset, three battery chargers, multiple charger cords and the external device is awkward and cumbersome.